Python for Absolute Beginners: Glossary

There are 4 data types in Python: Integers, floats, strings, and booleans

You can use the built-in function type() to find the type of a value

Strings are text, they can be added to one another, you can slice them to get a substring, and use the index to acess the individual character

Integers are whole numbers. You can use mathemethical operations on them

Floats are decimal numbers. You can use mathemathical opreations on them

Booleans are either True or False

A double equals sign == is used as the equals operator, a single equals sign = is used for variable assignment

Use variables to store values.

Use meaningful variable names.

Python is case-sensitive.

Use print() to display values.

Variables must be created before they are used.

Variables persist between cells.

Variables can be used in calculations.

Use an index to get a single character from a string.

Use a slice to get a substring.

Use the built-in function len to find the length of a string.

Every value has a type.

Use the built-in function type to find the type of a value.

Types control what operations can be done on values.

Strings can be added and multiplied.

Strings have a length (but numbers don’t).

Preventing Errors: Handling numbers and strings in Python operations.

Integers and floats can be mixed freely in operations.

Variables only change value when something is assigned to them.

Use comments to add documentation to programs.

A function may take zero or more arguments.

Commonly-used built-in functions include min, max, and round.

Functions may only work for certain (combinations of) arguments.

Functions may have default values for some arguments.

Every function returns something.

Use the built-in function help to get help for a function.

Python reports a syntax error when it can’t understand the source of a program.

Python reports a runtime error when something goes wrong while a program is executing.

A list stores many items in a single structure.

Use an item’s index to fetch it from a list.

Use slicing to extract part of a list.

Lists’ items can be replaced by assigning to them.

Appending items to a list lengthens it.

Use del to remove items from a list entirely.

The empty list contains no items.

Lists may contain items of different types.

Lists are mutable.

Indexing beyond the end of the collection is an error.

A for loop executes commands once for each value in a collection.

The first line of the for loop must end with a colon, and the body must be indented.

Indentation is always meaningful in Python.

A for loop is made up of a collection, a loop variable, and a body.

Loop variables can be called anything (but it is strongly advised to have a meaningful name to the looping variable).

The body of a loop can contain many statements.

Use range to iterate over a sequence of numbers.

Use if statements to control whether or not a block of code is executed.

Conditionals are often used inside loops.

Use else to execute a block of code when an if condition is not true.

Use elif to specify additional tests.

Conditions are tested once, in order.

A while loop allows you to repeatedly execute a block of code as long as a certain condition is true.